Ditching-machine.



DITCHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED --JULY 1, 1910.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

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D M. HARTSOUGH.

DITGHING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED .TULY 1, 19.10.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

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4. attouwqo D M. HARTSOUGH.

DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 1, 1910.

1,003,046. Patnted Sept. 12,1911.

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D MAURICE I-IARTSOUGH, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

Drummer-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1911.

Application filed July 1, 1910. Serial No. 569,995.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, D MAURICE HART- soUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of I-Iennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Ditching-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a ditching inachine and consists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts as hereinafter shown and described.

The obj ect of the invention is to provide a machine of the character indicated which is especially adapted to be used for forming ditches at the sides of road beds; and in the construction of such ditches it is desirable that their side walls adjacent the road bed be inclined at an angle of approximately 450 while their bottoms are approximately level.

With this object in view the machine in- Cludes a wheel-mounted frame upon which is located an engine and means for raising and lowering the rear portion of the frame. A journaled rotor is mounted upon the frame and means is provided for operatively connecting said rotor with the engine. Means is also provided for connecting the rotor with the traction wheels of the machine whereby the machine may be advanced against its work as the rotor and parts carried by the same perform the work. By providing means for raising and lowering the rear end portion of the frame, as indicated, it will be seen that the depth at which the parts carried by the rotor will operate below the surface of the soil may be regulated.

In the accompanying drawings ;-F igure 1 is a perspective view of the ditching machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rotor and its attached parts. Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the same. Fig. leiis a front elevation of a forward portion of the machine. Fig. 5 is an elevation of a rear portion of the machine. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the means located at the rear portion of the frame for raising and lowering the same. Fig. 7 is a detailed view of means for driving the traction wheels of the ditching machine. Fig. 8 is a detail View of a winding means for operating the frame raising and lowering device.

The ditching machine includes a frame 1 which is preferably an open structure approximately A-shaped in end elevation and oblong in side elevation. The frame 1 includes a ridge pole 2 which extends the entire length of the machine and is eifectually braced in any appropriate manner upon the lower part of the structure of the frame. The frame 1 is mounted at its forward end portion upon traction wheels 3 and at its rear end is supported by wheel mounted trucks 4C. An engine or series of engines 5 is mounted upon the forward portion of the frame 1 and is operatively connected with a common shaft 6 journaled upon the frame l. A fly wheel 8 is attached to one end of the shaft 6 and a belt pulley 9 is attached to the other end portion of the said shaft 6. A stub shaft 10 is journaled for rotation at the upper forward portion' of the frame 1 and carries a ily-wheel 11. A belt pulley 12 is fixed to the stub shaft 10 and a belt 13 passes around the pulleys 9 and 12 and is adapted to transmit rotar;1 movement from the shaft 6 to the stub shaft 10 and the iiy wheel 11. The fly wheels 8 land 11 are provided and are located at or :attached to the opposite end portions of the engine shaft 6 in order that sufficientmomentum may be supplied at the opposite end portions of the said shaft to enable the same to rotate in a steady manner when subjected to heavy work.

A gear wheel 14 is journaled upon one end portion of the engine shaft 6 and may be caused to rotate in unison with the said shaft by manipulating the clutch mechanism 15 of any usual or desired pattern which, when thrown will fix the said'gear wheel with relation to the engine shaft 6.

An arbor 15 is journaled for rotation at the upper forward portion of the frame 1 andcarries a gear wheel 16 which meshes with the gear wheel 14. A sprocket wheel 17 is loosely mounted upon the arbor 15 and a sprocket wheel 18 is fixed to the axle 19 which is the axle upon which the traction wheels 3 are mounted. A sprocket chain 20 passes around the sprocket wheels 17' and 18 and is adapted to transmit rotary movement from the arbor 15 to the axle 19. A clutch mechanism 21 is located upon the arbor 15 and is adapted to be thrown by manipulating the lever 22. A beveled gear wheel 23 is also journaled upon the arbor 15 and is provided with a clutch hub which may be engaged by the clutch mechanism 21. In fact when the clutch mechanism 21 is in engagement with 1U journaled the lower end of a shaft 28, the

f the beveled gear wheel 23, it is out of en- `One of the side rails of the frame 1 is provi vided with Va pillow bearingl 27 in which is upper endl of the said shaft 28 being journaled; in a bearing (not shown) upon the intermediate portion of the ridge pole 2. A rotor 29v is mounted upon the shaft 28 and is provided at its periphery with a series of' teeth 30. A sprocket chain 31 passes around the sprocket wheel 26 and is adapted to engage the teeth 30 provided at the periphery of the rotor 29 and. a guide'32 is mounted uponv the frame 1 for properlylaying the said chain 31 upon the peripheral portionv of the said rotor 29. Therefore it will be seen that means is provided for operating the axle shaft 19, directly from the engine 5 or by ymanipulating the clutch mechanism V21 the said' axle shaft 19 may remain atrest `and rotary movement may be transmitted from the engine shaft to the rotor 29.

Scoops 33 are carried by the rotor 29 and each scoop is provided with an inner hinged side 34. Inasmuch as the axis of the shaft 2,8.is normally at an angle of approximately O to the surface of the ground, the plane of the rotor through its widest part is at a corresponding angle but ata right angle to the axis of the shaft 28. Therefore the scoops 33l carried by the rotor are designed to be moved in a path at approximately 45 tothe surface of the ground. Bridle chains 35 are connected at their outer ends to the outer sides of the scoops 33 and at their inner ends to the hinged side 34. Springs 36` are connected at their outer ends to the intermediate 'portions of the bridle chains 35 and at their inner ends to the peripheral portion of the rotor 29. A set of toggle links 37 connects each of the hinged sides 34 of the scoop 33 with the hub of the rotor 29. `A frame 38 is located upon the side beam of the frame 1 and is in the path of movement of the inner end portion of one of the toggle klinks 27. When the hinged sides'34 of the scoops 33 are closed against the said scoops, thek said toggle links 37 are in alinement with each other, but when the toggle links 37 encounter the frame 38 they are movedV out of lalinement and therefore the outer portions of the hinged sides 34'are swung away from the outer portion of the scoops 33. This is When said scoops 33 assumeV dumping positions." As soon as the toggle links.V have passed beyondl the frame 38, the tension of theV spring 36 comes into play and draws upon the bridle chain 35 whereby the said hinged side 34 is closed against the scoop 33 and the links 37 assume their normal positions in alinement with each other and constitute means for efectually holding the said hinged side 34 closed against its scoop This is when the scoop is in loadreceiving position.

- From the above description it will be seen that as the rotor 29 is rotated in the manner as indicated, the links 37 of the hinged sides 34 of the said scoops will engage the frame 38, and thus the sides 34 of the said scoops are successively opened and inasmuch as the scoops 33 are in elevated positions when the said sides 34 open, the material contained within the scoops is permitted to fall from the same moving along the open sides 34 as chutes. When the scoops 33 arise at the edge of the ditch their hinged sides 34 are closed, in the manner indicated, and the edges of the scoops and the edges of the said hinged jaws serve as means for removing or cutting material from the sides of the ditch while the body of the scoop receives that material which is in the center of the ditch. The ridge pole 2 is provided at its rear end with a guide 39 through which a pole 40 passes. The lower end of the pole 4() rests upon a' cross frame 41 which connects the trucks 4 together. Sheaves 42 and 43 are journaled for rotation at the upper end of the pole 40 and a sheave 44 is journaled for rotation upon the drag 39. A cable 45 is fixed at one end to the rear portion of the ridge pole 2 thence passes over the sheave 42 and thence down under thel sheave 44, thence up and over the sheave 43, thence down and around a winding drum 46 mounted upon a shaft 47. The shaft 47 is journaled in the frame 1 and is provided with a sprocket wheel 48. A sprocket wheel 49 is also journaled upon the shaft 1 and is provided with a crank handle 50. A sprocket chain 51 passes around the sprocket wheels 48 and 49 and when the handle 50 is turned, is adapted to transmit rotary movement from the wheel 49 to the wheel 48, shaft 47, and winding drum 46. Thus means is provided for winding the cable 45 upon the drum 46 or for unwinding the said cable from the said drum.

When the cable 45 is wound upon the drum 46 the rear end portion of the bridge pole 2 is elevated along the upper portion of the pole 40 and inasmuch as the forward ends of the trucks 4 are pivotally connected with the rear end of the frame 1 as at 52, the said trucks 4 are upwardly inclined with relation to the rear portion of the frame and t-he rear portion, of the Jsaid frame 1 is raised. On the other hand when the cable 45 is paid oif of the winding drum 46 the ridge pole 2 descends along the pole 40 and the t-rucks 4 approach more nearlyvin alinement with the rear portion` of the frame 1 andV thus the rear portion of said frame 1 is lowered. By this means the raising and lowering of the rear portion of the frame l, the depth at which the scoops 33 may operate below the surface of the ground may be regulated.

It frequently happens during the cutting of a ditch that it is desirable to advance the machine toward its work at a steady rate of speed at the salne time that the formation of the ditch is progressing, and to accomplish this a sprocket wheel 52 is fixed to the upper end of the shaft 28. A shaft 53 is journaled for rotation at the forward portion of the frame l and carries a sprocket wheel 54. A sprocket chain 55 passes around the sprocket wheels 52 and 54; and is adapted to transmit rotary movementfrom the shaft 28 to the shaft 53. A beveled pinion 55 is xed to the lower end of the shaft 53 and meshes with a crown gear 56 fixed to the inner side of one of the traction wheels 3. A shaft 57 is journaled at the opposite side of the frame 1 from the side at which the shaft 53 is journaled and is provided at its lower end with a beveled pinion 58 which meshes with a crown gear 59 carried by the other traction wheel 3. Intermeshing beveled gear wheels 60 operatively connect the upper portions of the shafts 53 and 57 together. Thus as the said shaft 53 rotates, rotary movement is transmitted through the said shaft and also through the intermeshing gear wheels 60 and shaft 57 to the traction lwheels 3 and thus the said traction wheels are rotated while the shaft 28 is in rotation.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A ditching machine comprisinga frame, a rotor journaled upon the frame and having its axis at an acute angle to the horizontal, a scoop mounted upon the rotor and having a hinged side arranged to swing toward the axis of the rotor when the scoop arrives at dumping position.

2. A ditching machine comprising a frame, a rotor journaled thereon, scoops carried by the rotor and having hinged sides, toggle links connected with the hinged sides of the scoops and the rotor and adapted to assume an alinement to hold the hinged sides closed, and means for breaking the alinement of t-he toggle links when the scoops arrive at dumping positions.

3. In a ditching machine having a journaled rotor, a scoop carried by the rotor and having a hinged side, a bridle chain connecting the hinged side with the body portion of the scoop, a spring exercising its tension upon the intermediate portion of the bridle chain, and a frame located upon a lixed support' and adapted to engage a port-ion of the scoop to open the hinged side.

4. In a ditching machine having a journaled rotor, a scoop carried by the rotor and having a hinged side, means for normally holding the said side closed against the body of the scoop, a frame mounted upon a fixed support, toggle links connected with the rotor and the hinged side of the scoop and adapted to assume alinement with relation to each other to hold the hinged side of the scoop closed, said frame being in the path of movement of the inner portions of said toggle links and adapted when engaged by them to force them out of alinement whereby the hinged side of the scoop opens with relation to the body.

5. A ditching machine comprising awheel mounted frame, a rotor journaled thereon, and arranged to rotate in position which is fixed with relation to the frame, trucks pivotally connected with the rear portion of the frame, and means for varying the angular relation of the trucks and the frame to raise or lower the rotor.

6. A ditching machine comprising awheel mounted frame, a rotor journaled thereon, a scoop carried by the rotor, means for rotating the rotor, means operatively connecting the rotor with the supporting wheels f t-he frame, trucks pivotally connected to the rear end of the frame, and means for varying the angle of the trucks with relation to the frame to raise or lower t-he frame.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

D MAURICE HARTSOUGH.

Witnesses:

LEWIS J. VAN FossEN, ETHEL BA1-icoon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

